Ammonium persulfate(APS) is white, odorless single crystal with the molecular formula (NH4) 2S2O8. It has strong oxidizing and corrosive properties, is easily decomposed when heated, is not easily hygroscopic, and is soluble in water. Its solubility increases in warm water and can be hydrolyzed into ammonium hydrogen sulfate and hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution.
Abbreviation: APS
CAS:7727-54-0
EINECS : 231-786-5
Molecular Formula: H8N2O8S2
Ammonium persulfate is easily soluble in water, and its solubility increases with increasing temperature. At room temperature, a certain amount of ammonium persulfate can quickly dissolve in water to form a transparent solution. Ammonium persulfate needs to protecte from moisture during storage, as it is prone to absorbing moisture from the air and clumping, and its oxidation may affecte to some extent after expose to moisture.
Chemical synthesis field
Initiator of polymerization reaction
Ammonium persulfate is an important initiator in many polymerization reactions. For example, in the polymerization reaction of acrylamide, ammonium persulfate decomposes to produce free radicals, triggering the polymerization reaction of acrylamide monomer and producing polyacrylamide. The reaction mechanism is that ammonium persulfate is heated or decompos in a certain chemical environment to produce sulfate radicals (SO ₄⁻・), which can attack the double bonds on the acrylamide monomer, continuously connecting the monomer to form a polymer. Polyacrylamide has a wide range of applications in wastewater treatment, papermaking industry, and other fields. As a flocculant, it can effectively remove suspended particles in water.
Oxidants in Organic Synthesis
In organic synthesis, ammonium persulfate is often use as an oxidant. It can oxidize some alcohols into aldehydes or ketones. For example, it can oxidize primary alcohols to aldehydes under relatively mild reaction conditions. During the oxidation process, ammonium persulfate is itself reduced, and its oxidation-reduction reaction plays a key role in organic synthesis routes, helping to synthesize organic compounds with specific structures and functions, providing an important means for the synthesis of fine chemicals such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides.
Electroplating industry
Additives in plating solution
During the electroplating process, It can use as an additive in the plating solution. For example, in the copper plating process, It can help maintain the stability of the plating solution. It can oxidize some impurities in the plating solution, prevent these impurities from depositing on the surface of the plated part, thereby ensuring the quality and uniformity of the copper plating layer. Ammonium persulfate can also affect the deposition rate and morphology of metal ions by adjusting the oxidation-reduction potential in the plating solution, making the plated copper layer smoother and brighter, and improving the appearance quality and corrosion resistance of the plated parts.
Printed Circuit Board Industry
Micro corrosion agent
It is an important micro etchant in the production process of print circuit boards. In the manufacturing of circuit boards, it is necessary to perform micro etching treatment on the surface of copper foil to remove oxides and other pollutants on the copper foil surface, while increasing the roughness of the copper foil surface and improving the adhesion between subsequent coatings and copper foil. Ammonium persulfate solution can undergo a chemical reaction with copper, and the reaction equation is: (NH ₄) ₂ S ₂ O ₈+Cu=CuSO ₄+(NH ₄) ₂ SO ₄. By precisely controlling the concentration, temperature, and reaction time of ammonium persulfate solution, precise micro etching of the copper foil surface can achieve, ensuring the performance and quality of the circuit board.
Environmental protection field
Oxidants in wastewater treatment
It can use as an efficient oxidant in wastewater treatment. For some wastewater containing recalcitrant organic pollutants, such as printing and dyeing wastewater, pharmaceutical wastewater, etc., ammonium persulfate can decompose these organic pollutants into harmless small molecules by generating strong oxidizing free radicals. For example, it can oxidize aromatic compounds in wastewater to open the ring, making them more easily biodegradable or further oxidized into carbon dioxide and water, thereby reducing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) of wastewater and achieving the goal of purifying wastewater.
Ammonium persulfate plays an important role in multiple fields due to its unique chemical properties. With the continuous development of science and technology, its application scope is still expanding. When using ammonium persulfate, it is also necessary to fully consider the operational safety issues caused by its strong oxidizing properties and take corresponding protective measures.
